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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26221747">The Washing Machine Incident</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Everything4Everyone/pseuds/Everything4Everyone'>Everything4Everyone</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Gentle [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sanders Sides (Web Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Anxiety | Virgil Sanders is a Dark Side, But he's okay now, Chaotic Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Deciet | Janus Sanders is Done, Drowning, Gen, Gentle Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Hurt Anxiety | Virgil Sanders, Misuse of Machines, Motherly Deciet | Janus Sanders, Near Death Experiences, Regretful Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Understanding Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Virgil gets hurt, Washing Machine Incident, and nearly dies</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 10:07:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,280</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26221747</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Everything4Everyone/pseuds/Everything4Everyone</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Inspired by an incorrect quote off Tumblr and the story “But He’s Swimming” from Fanfiction.net.</p>
<p>Janus is just trying to have one day off. Unfortunately, that just so happens to be one of the days Remus is being extra chaotic- and without Janus to keep him in line, Virgil (and his hoodie) ends up in the line of fire... Can Janus save him (and his hoodie) in time?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Anxiety | Virgil Sanders &amp; Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders &amp; Deceit | Janus Sanders, Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders &amp; Deceit | Janus Sanders</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Gentle [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1904386</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>128</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Washing Machine Incident</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Inspired by an incorrect quote off Tumblr and the story “But He’s Swimming” from Fanfiction.net. All credit goes to them.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Sighing, Janus turned the page of the book he was reading, ignoring the commotion outside. He was determined not to get involved this time. He was always the one it who had to break up all their fights, usually caused by Remus being way too much for Virgil to handle, and he was sick of it. Could he have just one day where he didn’t have to separate them? They could sort it out themselves this time. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let go of me, you crazy psychopath! This is my good hoodie and I won’t let you ruin it!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Come on, Vee, I just wanna wash it! It’s laundry day~”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No! You’ll probably put bleach in it and then my beautiful hoodie will be ruined!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Too bad~ I’m gonna wash that whether you want me to or not! I promise I won’t use bleach this time!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No! Let go, Remus! Why-ow! Stop! Remus, that hurts! Stop that!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re the one who won’t stop struggling! Just stay still and let me take your hoodie!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No! You’ll ruin it and then I won’t have a hoodie! Let go of me!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nope! Come on, stop struggling! It won’t hurt if you’d stop moving so much!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s normal to try to get away from people like you!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Since when have </span>
  <em>
    <span>we</span>
  </em>
  <span> ever been normal?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just let go-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Janus sighed as the voices faded into the distance, Remus probably dragging Virgil off. Normally he’d stop them before Virgil actually got hurt, but if Remus was really just trying to do laundry he saw no real harm in it. Virgil would probably end up in tears later, though. His poor hoodie was sure to be absolutely mutilated under Remus’s “care”.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Turning his attention back to his book, Janus easily ignored the last few remnants of fighting he could hear, instead focusing as much as he could on the plot and characters. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A few minutes later, there was a quickly cut off scream from Virgil and the sound of the washing machine turning on. Remus had probably managed to get the hoodie from Virgil. The poor trait would be upset for ages now, and Janus would have to go help the sensitive side out later. Not right now, though. He wanted to read his book.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Not even two minutes later, Remus poked his head through the door, uncharacteristically hesitant. “Hey, Dee? I have a question…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sighing, Janus looked up from his book. He couldn’t have even one day, it seemed. “What </span>
  <em>
    <span>isn’t </span>
  </em>
  <span>it, Remus?” He asked, trying his best to keep his impatience and annoyance hidden.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can a person breathe inside a washing machine while it’s on?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Janus slowly lowered his book, closing it as he stared blankly at Remus, his mind stuck. Had he actually… he wouldn’t. But no, he absolutely would. Remus would definitely do that, and Janus was just hoping to all the gods that existed that he was wrong.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...where’s Virgil?!” he asked as calmly as he could manage, barely keeping the panicked hysteria out of his voice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Um…” Remus tried to smile innocently, but it just made him look more deranged than anything, “he’s swimming?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The instant Remus finished his sentence, Janus was out of his seat and running, legs moving as fast as they could go. Past Remus, through the door, and down the hall that seemed so terribly long all of a sudden. He registered that Remus was running after him but didn’t care, his only thoughts about getting Virgil out of there before something bad happened.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It might not have been so bad if they’d had a modified one that people could fit in, or if he could be sure that Remus hadn’t added anything harmful to the water, such as </span>
  <em>
    <span>the bleach, </span>
  </em>
  <span>or if they’d had a top-loading machine, which would have been a lot worse, but they had a side-loading machine that had not been modified in any way, and Remus could have added anything to the water and for all he knew the spin cycle would start any minute now, and Virgil would have a very low chance of surviving that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Oh, why had he not just taken the minute to go and grab Virgil and separate the two? Now Virgil could be hurt or killed, just because he hadn’t wanted to leave his damned book. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It seemed like it took forever to reach the laundry room, although it was only a couple minutes. The laundry machine was going, though it thankfully hadn’t reached the spin cycle yet, and although he couldn’t see inside he could definitely hear banging from inside.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Virgil was alive.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Not wasting any time, Janus turned the dial on the front of the machine to 0, waiting impatiently for the water to drain and the lid to unlock. What if they were too late? He didn’t think a side, especially one as important as Virgil, could die from something as small as a washing machine, but if he did then his reforming would be a long and painful process, and Janus didn’t even want to imagine the punishment Remus would get if it was his actions that caused Virgil to have to go through that again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finally, the washing machine drained all the way and the lid unlocked with a click. Janus didn’t waste even a second, throwing it open and reaching inside. He had never been so grateful for his gloves in all his life as they grabbed onto the soaking wet trait and gripped him close.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Janus pulled him out carefully, noticing with relief that he was still conscious and alive. He was soaking wet and coated in soap, but it looked like Remus had kept his promise and not put any bleach in, which was a relief. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For once not caring about his appearance, the deceitful trait pulled the soaking figure onto his lap and held him close, not bothered at all by the water and soap soaking into his clothes. Virgil was alive, he was okay, and he wouldn’t have to reform, and that was all that mattered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...Dee?” Virgil’s voice was slurred and he most definitely had a concussion, but he was speaking, and Janus couldn’t help the relief that surged through him at the sound. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>No</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Vee. I’m </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>here.” Janus brushed a strand of wet hair away from Virgil’s face. He’d have to give the poor side a bath later to get him clean. “It’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>okay.”</span>
</p>
<p><span>Gathering himself, Janus stood as quickly and carefully as he could, wincing at the groan Virgil gave at the sudden movement. “Hush, little darkling. You’re </span><em><span>not </span></em><span>okay now. And </span><em><span>someone’s</span></em> <em><span>not </span></em><span>going to be losing a lot of privileges,” he said, glaring at Remus, who gulped at the sight. Oh yes, he was in trouble and he knew it.</span></p>
<p>
  <span>Janus swept out of the room, his dark little son held tightly in his arms, and felt nothing but the immense relief that he was okay.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Remus ended up getting his deodorant taken away for three weeks and he wasn’t allowed anywhere near Virgil for over a month. Even after that, though, he was always a bit more careful, a bit gentler, a bit more willing to listen when it came to Virgil. Perhaps understanding that he could have actually hurt and even killed his little sibling finally made him gentle a bit. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was still just as rough with everyone else, though, including Janus. The only one he’d ever be gentle with was Virgil, and that kept up long after he left them. He would always be careful around him, now that he understood.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was difficult, but once you got Remus to truly understand something, he would never forget it.</span>
</p>
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